Archive for 2020

Don’t forget that Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday morning at 2:00 AM. At this time of year, you will set clocks back one hour. It is recommended that you do this before going to bed in the evening on Saturday of first thing Sunday morning. It is recommended at this when we recognize Daylight Savings Time to change the battery in your smoke alarms. It also is a good time to replace your furnace filters if you haven’t done so with the changing of the seasons.

Saturday is Halloween and the City of Salem Board of Alderman has established the trick-or-treating hours in the city from 6:00 until 8:00 PM. If you want children to stop by your home, leave your porch light on so they know they are welcome to stop by. Other Halloween options for those who prefer not to go door-to-door this year in the City of Salem will be provided by some businesses, churches and organizations. Those businesses and churches include Lost Treasures where they will have a trunk-or-treat, Allen’s Treasure Chest where they will have trick-or treating, American Automotive and Towing will have an event, the Salem United Methodist Church where they will hold a drive-thru event, J&D Automotive will have an event and Wilson Mortuary will offer trick-or-treating. The Dent County Republican Headquarters at C&E Auto Sales will also be holding a Halloween event in the parking lot. Also Echo Bluff State Park will be holding their Halloween Festival starting at 9:00 Saturday morning, but they will NOT be having their haunted trail as they originally planned Saturday night.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol encourages everyone to have a safe Halloween. Here are some tips they would like to pass along. Give some thought to safety when choosing a costume. Consider make-up rather than masks, since masks can make it difficult to see oncoming traffic. Wear light-colored clothing or add reflective tape to dark costumes to make them visible. Flame resistant costumes are the best ones. Parents, please remind children to approach only familiar houses that are well lighted. Talk with them about never entering a stranger’s house or vehicle. Consider trick-or-treating with your children for their safety and because it’s a fun way to spend an evening. Trick-or-treaters are reminded to watch for traffic while they are out and about this Halloween. Remember to look both ways when crossing the street. Use sidewalks wherever possible when you’re walking around a neighborhood. Increase visibility by using a flashlight, especially after dark. An adult should always accompany small children, and older children should stay in groups. If you are driving, stay extra alert on Halloween. Young children excited by Halloween could dart in front of a vehicle. Slow down, and drive with extra caution. If you are headed to a costume party, make sure the costume doesn’t hamper your vision while you’re driving to the event! Motorists picking up and dropping off trick-or-treaters may result in an increase in the number of vehicles on the road, therefore affecting traffic patterns. Please be courteous and stay alert for trick-or-treaters of all ages. Distracted drivers are dangerous drivers. When you’re driving, keep your eyes on the road, not on your phone! Halloween isn’t just for children. Many adults enjoy dressing up and visiting haunted houses or attending gatherings of friends. If you attend a Halloween party that includes alcohol, make sure you have a sober, designated driver for the trip home. Alcohol, even in small amounts, slows reaction time and dulls the senses. Drinking alcohol could have a sad and possibly deadly result.

The Missouri Department of Conservation is reminding Missourians ages 16 and older they may obtain their hunter-education certification through an all-online format for those wanting to hunt during the firearm deer season. The online option allows Missourians ages 16 and older to complete their certification at their convenience at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The all-online format is available at www.hunter-ed.com/missouri/. The cost of the online certification is $19.95, which is paid to the online provider, not MDC. The all-online option requires the passing of a final exam but has no skills portion. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, in-person hunter-education skills sessions are limited in quantity and capacity. Skills sessions are necessary for anyone ages 11 through 15 to complete their hunter-education certification. Currently, there is only one location that youth can get their hunter education skills tests completed within 100 miles of Salem and that is the Runge Conservation Nature Center in Jefferson City. Only one class remains before the start of the fall firearm season and that will be Tuesday, November 3rd from 5:30 until 8:30 where nine seats are available for that session. You can only register for this class online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov. MDC notes that, unless selected for a managed hunt, youth under the age of 16 are not required to have hunter education certification to hunt with a firearm as long as they hunt in the immediate presence of an adult age 18 or older who is hunter education certified or age exempt during youth season and properly licensed during regular seasons. Learn more about the Missouri Department of Conservation hunter education and certification requirements online at www.mdc.mo.gov/huntereducation.

Captain Eddie A. Blaylock, the commanding officer of Troop I, announced that on Thursday, October 28th, a coordinated effort in Dent County led to several narcotics-related arrests. This effort is a result of a lengthy narcotics investigation conducted by the South-Central Drug Task Force. The arrest teams assisting in these arrests consisted of Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers, officers from the Salem Police Department, and deputies from the Dent County Sheriff’s Department. A total of 15 people were arrested during this operation. They are 35-year old Brandon Terrill of Salem who was arrested on warrants for two counts for the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and is being held on a $100,000 bond; 31-year old Levi Cardwell of Salem who was arrested on warrants for two counts of the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and is being held on an $80,000 bond; 37-year old Sheena Hodge of St. Robert who was arrested on warrants for three counts of the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and is being held on a $60,000 bond; 29-year old Mersadie Mansfield of Salem who was arrested on warrants for two counts of the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and is being held on a $50,000 bond; 39-year old Brian L. Weber of Salem and 31-year old Dennis E. Loughridge of Salem who were arrested on warrants for the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and are being held on $50,000 bond each. More arrests included 51-year old Tabitha Freeman of Salem, 58-year old Ronald D. Breeding of Salem, 34-year old Stephan S. Mock of Salem, 32-year old Brooke L. Bergen of Salem, 41-year old Scott E. Mayberry of Salem, 32-year old Stephanie R. Culberson of Salem and 31-year old Todd W. Harget of Waynesville who were all arrested on warrants for the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and they are all being held on a bond of $30,000. Also arrested were 46-year old Craig Carter of Salem and 54-year old John Frederick of Salem on a warrant for the delivery of a controlled substance except for 35 grams of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid and each being held on a $20,000 bond. The South-Central Drug Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional drug task force coordinated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The task force specializes in narcotics-related investigations and is composed of narcotics officers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, Rolla Police Department, Dent County Sheriff’s Department, and Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department. The charges for which these individuals were arrested are mere accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of the charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty it will be to determine guilt or innocence.

The Missouri Department of Conservation encourages young hunters to get outdoors and discover nature this weekend for the early portion of youth firearms deer season starting Saturday, October 31st through Sunday, November 1st. Shooting hours run one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. To participate, hunters must be at least 6-years-old and no older than 15-years old on opening day. Valid permits include the Firearms Any-Deer Hunting Permit and the Firearms Antlerless Deer Hunting Permit. Only one deer of either sex may be taken during the early youth portion in accordance with permits held. If a hunter possesses more than one permit, they must use them in another portion. Only one antlered deer may be taken during the entire firearms season (all portions combined). The Department of Conservation notes the the antler-point restriction does not apply to youth hunters using a firearms deer hunting permit during the youth portion. Hunters may take only two antlered deer during the archery and firearms deer hunting seasons combined. Each county limits the number of antlerless deer hunting permits you can fill during the entire firearms season. During the youth portions of firearms deer season, adults who accompany youth hunters do not need a deer hunting permit. The adult must be 18 or older and hunter-education certified or born before January 1st, 1967. At all other times, hunters must have a filled or unfilled deer hunting permit to assist others in taking deer. The Department of Conservation reminds hunters the use of bait is illegal while hunting. Bait includes grain or feed placed or scattered to attract deer or turkeys. However, doe urine and other scents may be used to attract deer while hunting, as long as the scents are not used on or with grain or other food products. During the 2019 early youth portion, young hunters harvested 18,158 deer. The late youth portion of firearms deer season will run from Friday, November 27th through Sunday, November 29th. Permits are available at participating locations throughout the state, or online at https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/permits.

Echo Bluff State Park off Highway 19 south will be holding a Halloween Festival all day Saturday starting with a Harvest Bazaar from 9:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon. At 2:00, a Wonder of Wildlife presentation will be held at the amphitheater. From 3:30 to 4:30, you can craft a pumpkin with kits available at the Timbuktu check-in station. Starting at 6:00 will be the Kids Trick or Treat Parade followed by the camper and cabin decorating contest judging. From 7:00 until 9:00, venture down the haunted trails at Echo Bluff if you dare before listening to stories around the fire pit at 8:30 where the awards for the contests will be presented. For more information, check out the Echo Bluff State Park Facebook page or call 855-999-6980.